Kelly McParland: Oval office slapstick brings Ukraine no closer to peace
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This is what it's like now to keep the world from tumbling into the sort of chaos it's spent the better part of the past century carefully working to avoid. Leaders from Germany, France, the United Kingdom and elsewhere, along with worthies from NATO and the European Union, need to be forever on their guard against the danger the current occupant of the Oval Office could go off in some mad direction and threaten the stability of the western world.
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They seem to have succeeded this time, if only temporarily, before it was too late. The last time Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the White House he was berated by Vice President JD Vance for failing to dress in a manner appropriate to the occasion. This time he was careful to pack a dark jacket, though no tie, and things went off swimmingly. Everyone was jolly and the vice president behaved himself. Zelenskyy even offered a quip about his outfit that had everyone smiling.
How long it lasts is anyone's guess. Not long, if almost 10 years of Donald Trump in Washington is anything to go by. Other than handshakes and displays of camaraderie nothing of substance came from the gathering. The after-meeting statements were a study in contradiction. Trump insisted everyone was totally excited about the improved prospects for peace; President Emmanuel Macron of France said he's not convinced Russia wants the war to end. Trump doesn't believe a ceasefire is necessary; German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he can't imagine progress without one. Zelenskyy indicated he's prepared to meet Putin face-to-face, but gave no indication he's willing to surrender Ukraine territory or meet any of the other rigid conditions the Russian president demands.
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The Putin-Zelenskyy meeting is the core of Trump's vision for the next step of the process. 'I think he wants to make a deal. I think he wants to make a deal for me,' Trump burbled to Macron. He harbours a conviction — tied to his belief in himself as the world's greatest dealmaker — that if he can only get the two in the same room everything can be sorted out and the slaughter will be over. Ideally, when that happens he can start getting ready for a visit to Oslo and his acceptance of the Nobel peace prize he's been telling everyone is his due. He claims he's ended six wars in his seven months as president, almost one per month. 'I thought this maybe would be the easiest one,' he said of the Ukraine conflict. Norwegian media reported that he called Prime Minister Jonas Støre out of the blue one day in July to press his claim to the prize.
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While Trump fixates on arranging a second summit and winning his prize, what the Europeans want is a firm pledge of security guarantees for Ukraine against any further Russian aggression. No one knows precisely what that means, but proposals suggest some kind of international military force that would convince the Kremlin the price of another attack would be too high to contemplate. That's what NATO's Article 5 already represents: a pledge that an attack on one is treated as an attack on all. Ukraine isn't a member of NATO and Putin insists it can never be; so what Europe wants is a non-NATO pledge that has the same effect as NATO.
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Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. 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